Tool revolver

ABSTRACT

A sealing arrangement ( 41 ), which seals the inside ( 15 ) of the tool disk ( 3 ) in relation to the outer side on the respective tool station, is provided on each drive part ( 25 ) in a tool revolver comprising a base body ( 1 ) which is applied or is to be applied to the tool machine and which defines a revolver axis ( 7 ), about which a tool disk ( 3 ) is rotationally mounted on the base body ( 1 ). Said tool disk comprises a plurality of tool stations ( 17 ) which are distributed on the periphery thereof and which can be adjusted by rotating to tool disk ( 3 ) in respectively at least one working position, wherein a tool drive ( 19 ), which is located in the inside of the tool disk ( 3 ) and which is applied to the base body ( 1 ), is coupled to the drive-sided coupling part ( 23 ) comprising a tool-sided coupling part for the drive of a tool, which is located on the tool station ( 17 ) which is oriented towards the work station. A drive part ( 25 ), which forms the tool-sided coupling part, is rotationally mounted in each tool station ( 17 ), with which the tool receiving element ( 53 ) of the respective tool, which can be operated on the tool station ( 17 ), can be applied to the drive connection.

The invention relates to a tool revolver with a base body that is to be mounted or is mounted on a tool machine and that defines a revolver axis, around which a tool disk is rotatably mounted on the base body, and said tool disk has several tool stations that are distributed on its periphery and which can be adjusted in each case in at least one working position by the rotation of the tool disk, and in which a tool drive that is located inside the tool disk and that is mounted on the base body is coupled to its drive-side coupling part to a tool-side coupling part for driving a tool, which is located on the tool station that is oriented towards the working position.

Tool revolvers of this type are known in the prior art. U.S. Pat. No. 6,704,983 B2 thus shows a tool revolver of this type that is intended for use in turning lathes, in machining centers and in similar devices such as machine tools.

When using such tool revolvers, the tools that are located at the tool stations of the revolver head, which are to be used, are mainly tools for machining, such as drilling, lathing or milling tools, and, for adjusting to the respective machining task, the tools are interchanged by the machine operator. In such machining processes, auxiliary media, in particular in the form of cooling lubricants, are usually used, and, in theory, the danger exists that the respective cooling lubricants, together with the chips that are produced in machining, enter the interior of the tool disk, which then can destroy the tool drive located therein. The latter applies in particular if the chips or other dirt and abrasion particles are entrained by the penetrating fluid and enter the tool drive that is located inside the tool disk.

With respect to the foregoing, the object of the invention is to make available a tool revolver that is effectively protected from fluids and chips entering into the interior of the tool disk.

According to the invention, this object is achieved by a tool revolver, which has the features of claim 1 in its entirety.

As indicated in the characterizing part of claim 1, in each tool station of the tool disk, the invention provides a rotatably mounted drive part, via which the drive connection is made between the drive-side coupling part of the inner tool drive and the respective tool receptacle, which is in the working position and whose tool is to be operated. In that, according to the invention, a sealing arrangement that seals the interior of the tool disk relative to the exterior at each tool station is also provided on each drive part, the entire exterior of the tool disk is secured against fluid leaks and penetration of chips. In that, according to the invention, the seal is effective at each tool station, because each tool station is provided with a drive part that performs the dual function both as a drive-intermediate element and as a sealing element, sealing of the tool disk is also ensured when a tool receptacle is not located at each tool station.

In advantageous embodiments of the invention, the drive parts are configured such that they form a rotational element with a circular cylindrical periphery over a majority of their axial length and have at least one flat bearing surface in their peripheral section on the end-side that is adjacent to the drive-side inner coupling part, which forms the component of an anti-rotation device that secures the rotational position of the drive part as the tool disk rotates. The presence of an anti-rotation device that secures the rotational position of the drive part as the tool disk rotates ensures that, as the tool disk rotates and a tool station moves into the working position, trouble-free engagement can take place between the drive part and the inner, drive-side coupling part.

By preference, the sealing arrangement, which seals the interior of the tool disk against the exterior at each tool station by interaction with the drive part, is provided on the outer circular-cylindrical end area of the drive part that is adjacent to the outer periphery of the tool disk. Advantageously, for this purpose, a shaft seal, for example in the form of a tangent radial shaft seal, can be provided.

A diametrical through groove, which is open on the end of the drive part that is turned toward the interior of the tool disk and whose flat side walls form planes that are parallel to at least one bearing surface, can be provided on the respective drive part as a tool-side, in particular revolver-side, coupling part.

Since the bearing surface on the drive parts can form a component of an anti-rotation device that secures the rotational position of the drive part as the tool disk rotates, the possibility exists to adjust the drive part before the tool disk rotates in such a rotational position that the longitudinal axis of the groove is oriented in the direction of the path of travel during rotation, such that the coupling connection can be made by inserting the drive-side coupling part of the tool drive, located inside the tool disk, into the groove. For this purpose, a drive pin with a rectangular outline, which can be suitably accommodated in the groove of the drive part and can be moved through the groove with rotations of the tool disk, can be provided as a drive-side coupling part of the inner tool drive.

The anti-rotation device for the drive parts can have a guide element that forms a path of travel that runs concentrically to the revolver axis between the tool stations, and said path of travel extends along the path of travel that is traversed by the respective drive part as the tool disk rotates and along which the respective bearing surface of the drive part is guided in abutment as the tool disk rotates.

So that, with the drive part in such a rotational position, each drive pin of the inner tool drive can smoothly enter the groove of the respective drive part entering into the working position, it is necessary, before introducing a rotary motion of the tool disk, to bring the drive pin of the inner tool drive into a rotational position, in which the side walls of the groove of the drive part that is coupled to the drive pin and the respective bearing surface of the drive part are in planes that are parallel to the path of travel.

If the tool drive inside the tool disk is an electric motor, its rotor shaft is concentric to the respective drive part of the tool station that is in the working position and it forms the drive pin on its shaft end, an electric motor, which makes it possible to determine an electric rotational position of the rotor and thus the drive pin, can be used. In addition, the possibility exists of effecting a rotational position for determining the rotor via corresponding sensors.

The invention will be explained in greater detail in what follows based on an embodiment that is shown in the drawing. Here:

FIG. 1 shows an axial section of the tool disk of the embodiment of the tool revolver according to the invention, located on a base body shown in cutaway, a tool station that is oriented towards the working position as well as a conventional tool receptacle to be installed in this tool station (before the installation and without the machining tool located therein) being shown;

FIG. 2 shows a partial view only of the area of the tool station that is in the working position, and said view is shown enlarged compared to FIG. 1, in cutaway and perspectively and diagrammatically simplified; and

FIG. 3 shows a schematic representation for explaining the mode of operation of an anti-rotation device based on a sectional view corresponding to the line III-III of FIG. 2.

In a cutaway view, FIG. 1 shows only an end area of a base body 1, which can be connected to a tool machine (not shown) and is mounted on a tool disk that is referred to as a whole as 3. The base body 1 has a central, stationary hollow shaft 5 that defines a revolver axis 7, around which the tool disk 3 can rotate. The drive for the rotary motion around the revolver axis 7 is effected by a tool disk drive, not shown in greater detail, via a drive pipe 9 that surrounds the hollow shaft 5. In particular, the respective rotary motion is embodied in the form of a rotary actuator.

The tool disk 3 has a wheel head housing 11, which, together with a front-side cover plate 13 that is bolted to the housing 11, encloses an inner space 15 in the tool disk housing 11.

On its periphery, the tool disk 3 has a plurality of tool stations 17 that are arranged at the same angular distances from one another and that, relative to the revolver axis 7, have a radial orientation. FIGS. 1 and 2 show that one of the tool stations 17 is adjusted to the working position, in which a tool drive that is located in the inner space 15 of the tool disk 3 can drive a machining tool that is mounted on the tool station that is in the working position via its drive-side coupling part. In this example, the tool drive has an electric motor 19 that is located in the inner space 15 and is rigidly connected to the base body 1 via the hollow shaft 5, the axis of rotation of its rotor shaft 21 being coaxial to the tool station 17 that is set in the working position. As a drive-side coupling part, the rotor shaft 21 in its end section forms a drive pin 23, which, see FIG. 3, has a rectangular cross-section. As a tool-side coupling part that interacts with the drive-side coupling part, a drive part 25 is provided in each tool station 17. Each drive part 25 is rotatably mounted in a respective through opening 26 of the tool disk housing 11, which extends into the latter in the radial direction, namely by means of a roller bearing 27, which is located on a circular-cylindrical peripheral section of the drive part 25.

As is to be seen most clearly from FIG. 2, the interior wall of the through opening 26 and the circular-cylindrical peripheral section of the drive part 25 are stepped in each case, such that shoulder areas 31 or 29 are formed, on which the roller bearing 27, in interaction with a safety ring 33 that sits in a peripheral groove of the drive part 25 (FIG. 2), axially secures the drive part 25.

In the area of each tool station 17 on the exterior of the tool disk 3, a breech plate 35 with an opening 37 that is concentric to the respective tool station 17 extends at the outer end in the radial direction. The diameter of this opening 37 is larger than the outer diameter of the circular-cylindrical end section 39 of the drive part 25 that extends into this opening 37. In the thus formed intermediate space, a shaft seal is arranged, which, in this case, is a radial shaft seal 41. As is to be seen from the FIGS., the opening 37 of the outer plate 35 relative to the drive part 25 is thus sealed at each tool station 17 such that in turn, a seal between the inner space 15 of the tool disk 3 and the exterior is provided at each tool station 17.

As can be seen most clearly from FIGS. 2 and 3, flat areas 43 that connect to the circular-cylindrical peripheral section and that form a respective flat bearing surface each, which are part of an anti-rotation device for the respective drive part 25, are found on the radial inner end area of each drive part 25. This respective bearing surface on the flat areas 43 is guided along a guide element 45 in the rotary motion of the tool disk 3, and said guide element 45 forms a path of travel between the tool stations 17 that is interrupted only in the area 47 (FIG. 3) at at least one tool station 17, and on said tool station 17, the drive parts 25 are guided with the bearing surface formed adjacent to the flat areas 43 as the tool disk 3 rotates and thus are secured against rotation.

To facilitate this course of operation, the electric motor 19 has a device for determining the rotational position of the rotor shaft 21 and accordingly the drive pin 23, so that the respective drive part 25, before it is moved out from the working position by the rotation of the tool disk 3, assumes the rotational position shown in FIG. 3, in which the flat areas 43 align with the path of travel on the guide element 45.

In addition, as is also to be seen clearly from FIG. 3, a diametrical through groove 49, open on the end side, with parallel side walls 51, which form planes parallel to the flat areas 43 and between which the drive pin 23 is suitably accommodated, is located in the drive element 25. Operating in conjunction, these measures ensure that in the rotary motion of the tool disk 3 around the revolver axis 7, the drive pin 23 can reliably engage with and disengage from the groove 49 in the drive part 25 of each respective tool station 17. As a drive motor, a commercially available electric servo motor can be used. With smaller overall size of the tool revolver, an angular gear with an electric motor can also be provided, which can be located outside of the tool disk 3 (not shown).

As FIGS. 1 and 2 show, the drive part 25 has a seat 55 that is open on the outer periphery of the tool disk 3 at the radially outer end to form the drive connection with a tool receptacle 53 that is to be operated at the corresponding tool station, and said seat has an inner axial driver toothed wheel work of conventional design with which a complementary toothed drive shaft 57 of the tool receptacle 53 that can be installed at the suitable tool station 17 can engage. In this case, FIG. 1 shows a tool receptacle 53 of conventional design (HSK type) without the machining tool that is used in the tool receptacle 53 and before the outer breech plate 35 is installed at the tool station 17 (for example by bolting). As FIG. 1 shows, in the case of such a tool receptacle 53, the drive shaft 57 is designed in the form of a body of rotation, which is mounted on the tool receptacle 53 by means of roller bearings 59 and has a stepped interior hollow 61 as a seat for the tool holding device of the actual machining tool. 

1. A tool revolver with a base body (1) that is to be mounted or is mounted on a tool machine and that defines a revolver axis (7), around which a tool disk (3) is rotatably mounted on the base body (1), and said tool disk has several tool stations (17) that are distributed on its periphery, and which can be adjusted in each case in at least one working position by the rotation of the tool disk (3), and in which a tool drive (19) that is located inside (15) the tool disk (3) and that is mounted on the base body (1) is coupled to its drive-side coupling part (23) to a tool-side drive part for driving a tool, which is located at the tool station (17) that is oriented towards the working position, characterized in that in each tool station (17), a drive part (25) that forms the tool-side coupling part is rotatably mounted, with which the tool receptacle (53) of the respective tool that can be operated at the tool station (17) can be brought into drive connection, and in that a sealing arrangement (41) that seals the interior (15) of the tool disk (3) against the exterior at the respective tool station (17) is provided on each drive part (25).
 2. The tool revolver according to claim 1, wherein each drive part (25) forms a rotational element with a circular-cylindrical periphery over a majority of its axial length and has at least one flat bearing surface (43) in its peripheral section on the end-side that is adjacent to the drive-side coupling part (23) of the inner tool drive (19), and said bearing surface forms a component of an anti-rotation device that secures the rotational position of the drive part (25) as the tool disk (3) rotates.
 3. The tool revolver according to claim 2, wherein the sealing arrangement (41) is provided on the outer circular-cylindrical end area (39) of the drive part (25) that is adjacent to the outer periphery of the tool disk (3).
 4. The tool revolver according to claim 2, wherein a diametrical through groove (49), which is open on the end of the drive part (25) that is facing toward the interior (15) of the tool disk (3) and whose flat side walls (51) form planes that are parallel to at least one bearing surface (43), is provided on the respective drive part (25) as a tool-side coupling part.
 5. The tool revolver according to claim 4, wherein the drive-side coupling part (23) of the tool drive (19) that is located inside the tool disk (3) has at least one drive pin with a rectangular cross-section, which is suitably accommodated in the groove (49) of the drive part (25) and can be moved through the groove (49) during rotary motions of the tool disk (3).
 6. The tool revolver according to claim 5, wherein the anti-rotation device for the drive parts (25) has a guide element that forms a path of travel (45) that runs concentrically to the revolver axis (7) between the tool stations (17), and said path of travel extends along the path of travel that is traversed by the respective drive part (25) as the tool disk (3) rotates and along which the respective bearing surface (43) of the drive part (25) is guided in abutment as the tool disk (3) rotates.
 7. The tool revolver according to claim 6, characterized by a device for rotational positioning of the drive-side coupling part of the tool drive (19) in such a way that its drive pin (23) brings the drive part (25) into a rotational position in which the side walls (51) of the groove (49) and the respective bearing surface (43) of the drive part (25) are in planes that are parallel to the path of travel (45).
 8. The tool revolver according to claim 7, wherein the tool drive that is located in the interior (15) of the tool disk (3) has an electric motor (19), whose rotor shaft (21) is concentric to the drive part (25) of each respective tool station (17) in the working position and forms the drive pin (23) at the end of its shaft.
 9. The tool revolver according to claim 8, wherein an electric motor (19) that makes it possible to determine an electric rotational position of the rotor (21) is provided.
 10. The tool revolver according to claim 1, wherein each drive part (25) has a seat (55) that has rotary driver elements and that is open on the outer periphery of the tool disk (3) to form the drive connection with the tool receptacle (53) of the tool to be operated at the corresponding tool station (17), and the drive shaft (57) of the corresponding tool receptacle (53) can be inserted into said seat.
 11. The tool revolver according to claim 10, wherein the respective tool receptacle (53) has a tool support body that preferably can be bolted on and that can be installed on the outer periphery of the tool disk (3), and in said tool support body, the drive shaft (57), which for its part forms a seat (61) for forming a drive connection between the drive shaft (57) of the tool receptacle (53) and an associated tool, is rotatably mounted. 